Valene Ewing
Summary Valene Ewing (nee Clements; formerly ﻿'Gibson' and Waleska) is one of the titular protagonists on CBS' Knots Landing. Originating the role on a guest stint on sister show Dallas ''in 1978, Joan Van Ark would go on to portray the character in a series regular capacity for thirteen seasons. She would return for the series finale in 1993, as well as the reunion mini-series ''Back to the Cul-de-Sac in 1997. She also continued to make guest appearances on Dallas, ''and even appeared in the TNT continuation series in 2013. The character of Valene was notable for being faced with continuing hardship. Some of her more dramatic storylines included; having her first-born child Lucy stolen from her, a tumultuous romance with the father of her children Gary Ewing, which resulted in the couple having 3 seperate marriages, having her twin babies stolen at birth, being the target of an elaborate murder attempt by the villainous Jill Bennett and being held prisoner for a year by Treadwell Industries. Valene earned the moniker 'Poor Val' both within the show and in the media as a result of her relentless misfortune. ''Knots Landing ''follows the growth of the character of Valene. Valene begins the series with a child-like outlook due to her stunted upbringing as well as her own repressed maternal instincts. Repairing the relationship with both her mother and her daughter and gaining an education from the local college, Valene is able to blossom into an accomplished author. The character of Valene adopts a notably cooler exterior as the series progresses, as the tribulations of her life result in a more cynical approach to her life. 'Early Life' ''Childhood ]] Born to Jeremiah and Lilimae Clements in 1945, Valene suffered a tumultuous upbringing. In particular, her childhood was marred by her mother's singing aspirations, which caused a major rift early on in their relationship. After the death of her father, Valene would be bounced between relatives, namely her Aunt June (“Will the Circle Be Unbroken”). Although never explicitly stated during the timeline of the show, it can be presumed that Valene’s other aunt, Virginia Bullock, also took part in raising her due to their close relationship (“Mrs. Peacock In The Library With The Lead Pipe”). At some point as Lilimae pursued her career away from home, she met and fell in love with a preacher; Jonathan J. Rush. Lilimae began to settle into a new family, as she joined Jonathan’s congregation and gave birth to a son, Joshua. For a year Lilimae raised Joshua, and lived under the guise of Jonathan’s wife. Eventually a travelling act came through town, and Lilimae abandoned her second family. Valene would not learn of her half-brother’s existence for several decades (“Hanging Fire”). Meeting Gary As Valene moved into her teenage years, she would leave high school at an early age. Taking a job at a local diner, Valene would live out an unremarkable existence until she met Gary Ewing; the middle brother of the infamous Ewing family. Gary noticed a clearly overworked Valene at the diner, and offered to help (“Out of the Past”). This would be the start of a brief courtship, which would result in Valene’s first marriage to Gary )]] at the young age of 15 in 1960 (“Pilot"). Shortly after, Valene would give birth to their first child; Lucy. Eventually Gary would bring both child and mother to his home, Southfork ranch near Dallas, Texas. Their marriage was met with open hostility from the Ewing family, namely Gary’s older brother, John Ross "J.R." Ewing, Jr, who resented Valene’s lowly lineage (“Reunion, Part I”). Pressure within the household would result in the beginning of Gary’s alcohol abuse, and his eventual disappearance from Southfork. Realising her time at Southfork was short with her tie to the Ewing family gone, Valene left the ranch with Lucy and sought refuge with Lilimae, who was living in Virginia at the time (“Digger’s Daughter”). Valene was turned away by her mother as she consulted with her current manager, concerned )]] that being a grandmother would affect her working image. J.R.’s men then caught up with Valene, and stole Lucy back to Southfork to be raised as a Ewing (“Will the Circle Be Unbroken”). Valene was warned to never set foot in Texas again, and Lucy was raised by her paternal grandparents; Eleanor "Miss Ellie" Ewing and John Ross "Jock" Ewing, Sr. Not much is known about the time period in Valene’s life between Lucy being stolen and returning to Dallas. She would, however, briefly date a rancher, ‘Rusty’, in 1970 (“Cricket”). Valene would eventually build the courage to seek out her daughter in 1978, and returned to Dallas in spite of J.R.’s warnings ("Reunion, Part I"). Dallas Valene resolved to make contact with her estranged daughter Lucy in 1978. Waiting outside of her high school, Valene approached Lucy and made herself )]] known. Valene would take a job at a local diner, the Hot Biscuit, and the two would begin to reconnect. Fearful of J.R.'s reaction, their meetings were held under secretive conditions. Simultaneous to these events, Gary ran into his younger brother Bobby Ewing and his new wife Pamela Barnes Ewing in Las Vegas. Having gotten his alcoholism under control, Gary agreed to return to Southfork after some persuasion from his brother. After reuniting with her father, Lucy sees an opportunity to bring her parents back together. Gary and Valene reunite after almost 17 years, and Valene too agrees to return to Southfork ("Reunion, Part I"). J.R. is not thrilled at the return of his brother Gary, fearful for his leadership position at Ewing Oil, feeling that Bobby is enough to contend with. Valene's return merely spurs him on to remove them both from the ranch once again. J.R. resurrects a failed subsidiary of Ewing Oil and places Gary in charge, hoping to inspire his alcoholic tendencies when the company inevitably fails. Valene is immediately concerned after J.R. announces Gary's new position, and suggests the pair move to California. Gary dismisses Valene's concerns, firmly believing J.R. has changed. J.R.'s plan works however, and Gary cracks under pressure. Although coming close to )]]drinking due to the stressful workload, Gary restrains himself and realises he cannot make a future for himself at Southfork. He leaves the ranch once more, although he and Valene part on good terms. With history repeating itself, a furious Valene confronts J.R. over his treatment of both her and Gary as he drives her from the ranch a second time. J.R. engineers the situation to appear as though Valene has accepted a cash settlement in return for leaving the ranch, souring Valene and Lucy's newly reignited relationship ("Reunion, Part II"). Valene would later write Lucy detailing what had actually transpired, which would cause Lucy to briefly run away from home in an effort to be with her mother. Lucy never found her mother ("Runaway"), and eventually settled into resenting Valene ("Secrets"). Knots Landing Season 1 )]] Newlywed, Valene and Gary move into the house on Seaview Circle. Fully acknowledging their tempestuous past, the couple decide not to announce their re-marriage to Lucy in case it fails once again. Bobby accompanies the pair on moving day, and they are immediately greeted by their neighbour Karen Fairgate, who invites them to her family dinner later that evening. Whilst Gary accompanies Bobby to the airport, Valene meets Richard Avery, a lawyer who insists on a neighbourhood gathering to welcome the Ewings. After detailing their past to the Fairgates at dinner, they meet the rest of the neighbourhood; Karen's husband, William 'Sid' Fairgate; their three children, Diana, Eric and Michael; Laura Avery, Richard's wife; and Kenny and Ginger Ward, a fellow pair of young newlyweds living across the street. Sid's rebellious teenage daughter Annie Fairgate, from a previous marriage, later arrives at the gathering. Valene takes an immediate interest in Annie due to her similarities with Lucy. Reminded of her strained relationship with her daughter, Valene begins to regret )]] her move to Knots Landing. Valene receives a call from Annie the next day, who has been picked up by the police for solicitation. Reluctant to return home immediately, Annie and Valene visit a local beach to talk. Having never seen the ocean before, Valene is in awe of its size and majesty. After relaying her struggles with her own daughter to Annie, Valene takes her back to Seaview Circle. Karen is grateful to Valene for resolving the situation, and their friendship begins. Realising they can make a home here, Gary and Valene resolve to stay in California ("Pilot"). Settling into her new home, Valene takes to running on the nearby beach. She is greeted one morning by the sight of an oil tanker off the coast of Knots Landing. A community council meeting regarding the environment is quickly set up with a representative, Chip Todson, from Petrolux, the company threatening to drill off-shore. )]] Petrolux is revealed to be affiliated with none other than J.R. Ewing, as he arrives in Knots Landing to see the project through. J.R. demands Gary stop his opposition to the drilling project, threatening to reveal their marriage to Lucy otherwise. Valene and Gary collaborate with Karen and Sid to formulate a plan to stop J.R, and are successful in obtaining documents detailing a viable alternative drilling site. Deterred by Gary and Val's new found resilience, J.R. leaves Knots Landing ("Community Spirit"). Valene begins to form closer relationships with her neighbours over the next few weeks. She assists Karen in the campaign to keep David Crane, a controversial local teacher, employed ("Let Me Count The Ways"), and is instrumental in dealing with the aftermath of Laura's rape. She assists Laura in the formal )]] police proceedings, as well as consoling her after her breakdown ("The Lie"). She also begins volunteer work with Ginger at a daycare center. Valene returns from volunteer work to find her estranged mother, Lilimae Clements, has come to visit. Valene is thrown by her mother's sudden reappearance, and begins to recollect upsetting memories from both her childhood and Lucy's kidnapping. Emotional tension builds, and Valene eventually announces her hatred for her mother in front of the neighbourhood. Lilimae contends that she did not understand the seriousness of Valene's situation with Lucy, and the two have a tentative reconciliation. Lilimae leaves her daughter once again, as she heads for Nashville in pursuit of her recording career ("Will the Circle Be Unbroken"). Valene's family drama continues, as Lucy discovers her parents have secretively remarried. Valene flies to Dallas to comfort her daughter, who is furious with her parents. After explaining their reasoning behind their remarriage, Lucy agrees to return to Knots Landing with Valene. Valene and Lucy enjoy their new )]] home life, however their relationship with Gary becomes strained. Lucy confronts Gary about his absence during her childhood before heading over to a neighbour's, Kenny Ward, party. Upon her return, Lucy announces that their life together will not work, and implores Valene to return to Dallas with her. Before leaving for Dallas, Gary confronts the pair on the nearby beach, admitting his characteristic faults and also illuminating the stability of his new life in Knots Landing. Lucy agrees to stay the week, and the family reconcile ("Home is for Healing"). Valene is horrified when a gang of bikers begin to terrorize the cul-de-sac. She further bonds with Karen, as she advises her to come forward to the police in spite of the gang's warnings. After Karen's daughter, Diana, is kidnapped by the gang, the residents of Seaview Circle confront them on the beach, and resolve the situation themselves ("Land of the Free"). Some time after these events, Valene begins studying in the hopes of completing her High School Equivalency test. Initially afraid of failure, and intimidated by her neighbours' college education, she keeps her studies secret. Realising she needs help with the work-load, she announces her studies to both Karen and Laura, who in turn assist her. Valene passes the test easily ("The Constant Companion"). With the Ewings fully integrated into the cul-de-sac, Sid holds a party to announce Gary's promotion to vice president at Knots Landing Motors. Initially flattered by Sid's faith in him, Gary quickly )]] turns to alcohol as the pressure of his responsibilities weigh down on him. Valene later quietly reprimands Gary over his alcohol consumption, who turns into a blind rage in response. Gary drives off into the night. The next morning, Valene and Sid begin to search for Gary. They find that Gary has sold his car in order to fund his addiction, and eventually track him to a local bar where he has been arrested for assault. After being let go by the police, Gary is in denial of his actions, and returns to work. Sid later informs Valene that Gary got drunk on the job, and once again disappeared. A frustrated Valene is consoled by Karen, as Gary's whereabouts are unknown ("Bottom of the Bottle (Part 1)"). Richard Avery eventually finds Gary, and the two get drunk together. Gary brings Richard home and, in an attempt to force open the Avery's liquor cabinet, strikes Valene. Sustaining injuries from the broken glass, an ambulance is called for Gary. In order to get Gary committed for acute alcoholism, Valene is )]] urged by Laura to explain his wounds as a suicide attempt. Now under the care of Dr. Charlotte Kramer, a fellow alcoholic and psychiatrist, who brings the seriousness of Gary's condition to light when he admits preferring alcohol to his wife. Gary, reluctant to enter therapy for his condition, escapes from the ward and returns home. Despite professing his desire to change, Valene decides it is not enough in light of recent events, and beseeches Gary to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with her. Gary once again flees to a bar, and a bewildered Valene attends the meeting herself, hoping to gain some insight into alcoholism. As the meeting finishes, a sober Gary arrives, to Valene's relief, and finally admits his condition ("Bottom of the Bottle (Part 2)"). Season 2 Though largely uneducated, Valene discovers she has a talent for writing and writes a thinly-veiled expose of the Ewings of Dallas called "Capricorn Crude". Gary is extremely critical of the book, which has an impact on their marriage. However, the book is published and Val becomes a best-selling novelist and financially independent. Val divorces Gary after his affair with neighbor Abby Cunningham; she keeps the house in Seaview Circle, and is subsequently married to Ben Gibson and later briefly to Danny Waleska. One of Val's most memorable storylines occurs during the 1984-85 season when she is told that her infant twins are stillborn. Val senses that this could not be true as she clearly remembers hearing the babies cry. She suffers a nervous breakdown and disappears from Knots Landing for several months, and is later reunited with her babies, thanks largely to the investigations secretly undertaken by her neighbors Mack and Karen MacKenzie. While working on an assignment to write a biography about Greg Sumner in 1992, Valene crosses paths with some mafioso type characters who are targeting Sumner. Fearing that she could expose them, they kidnap Val and she is later believed to have died in a car accident. However, it is discovered that Val was never in the car and having escaped her kidnappers she later returns to the cul-de-sac for the series finale in 1993. Category:Characters Category:Females